Alligator attack
The week's news at a glance.
Sanibel, Fla.
A Florida woman died last week two days after being mauled by a 12-foot alligator. Janie Melsek, a professional landscaper, was trimming a tree on Sanibel Island when the 457-pound reptile took her in its jaws and dragged her into a pond. A neighbor rushed to help, and held Melsek’s head above water until three police officers could wrestle her free. “It was kind of a tug of war,” said the neighbor, Jim Anholt. Doctors amputated Melsek’s right arm, which the alligator had nearly torn off. Melsek, 54, died during another operation to treat infections caused by the vicious bites. A police officer shot and killed the alligator. Wildlife experts say attacks by alligators are rare, since they normally shy away from humans.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The state of Britain's Armed Forces
The Explainer Geopolitical unrest and the unreliability of the Trump administration have led to a frantic re-evaluation of the UK's military capabilities
By The Week UK
-
Anti-anxiety drug has a not-too-surprising effect on fish
Under the radar The fish act bolder and riskier
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
Sudoku hard: April 21, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff